Quirks of Friends
by keacdragon
Summary: Missing bits from the movie, like how did the bolos get off Draco's foot, and how did the dragon feel after slamming headfirst into mud?  May not be in order from the movie and R&R about anything! Please!
1. Chapter 1 Bolos and Bark

Disclaimer: I want a knight and a dragon...don't have one

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Bowen yawned softly as he woke up and hour before dawn, he was stiff and smelled like rotten meat; the dragon's breath had reeked of it. Speaking of the beast, Bowen sat up to see the beast snorting fire on the log trapping his tail, it took only a couple of fire balls to weaken the wood enough for the dragon to break a good part of the log off, but not the part encasing his tail.

Bowen smiled and waited a few more moments before standing with a chuckle and unsheathing his sword.

The dragon hadn't seen him yet, so when he tried to dislodge the wood from his tail, he almost took off Bowen's head.

"Watch it!" There went Bowen's calm mood as the dragon's tail came to the ground with a smack in front of him.

"Sorry 'bout that." The dragon said tersely and tried to pry it off with his now cracked and broken talons.

Bowen rolled his eyes and started hacking at the wood with his sword, ignoring the feel of the dull metal and sharp chips flying.

The pair worked silently, trying to move fast. Frustration and impatience gave way to common sense and Bowen was at his breaking point, "It'd be easier to just cut it off." Was the mutter. The dragon was unamused, instead of using Bowen; the beast took his anger out on the trees and whipped his tail into them, shattering the log off.

Bowen sobered at that and left to find his horse, the dragon heard a deer a little further off and started to head quietly towards it, but something the pair had forgotten stopped him.

Bowen turned when he heard the dragon hit the ground and remembered the bolos and his saddle, barely able to make it back to the clearing, Bowen burst out laughing with the dragon sprawled on the ground with his leg stretched out behind him. The dragon snarled and tried to push himself up, but was too sprawled out to barely move. Bowen risked a glance at the dragon as he tried to stop laughing, the dragon shoved hard and winced, one of his forelimbs was trapped beneath most of his weight, and it was really starting to hurt.

Again giving the dragon a hand, Bowen found the tree the saddle was imbedded in and wrenched it free after untying the bolos' chain. The saddle was thrown onto the horse's back, the stallion having followed Bowen to the tree. Bowen began to wrap up the length of chain and then started to slowly untangle the mesh and bolos from the dragon's claws.

The beast sighed softly then winced as the blood rushed back into his forelimb as he stood. A half-hearted grin was all the knight received before the beast took off…

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I always wondered about that particular morning after...how about you?


	2. Chapter 2 Aches in Avalon

Disclaimer: I want a knight and a dragon...don't have one

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Bowen sighed softly as he closed his eyes and let the chilly air of the early morning ruffle his now combed through, and damp hair. The new morning's sunrise gently warmed his chilled form; he'd taken a dunk in the ocean tide about half an hour ago when he'd woken up and very softly left Draco's side where he must've been moved by the dragon late in the night after the storm.

Bowen faintly remembered dozing off leaning against King Arthur's column, Draco's wings, though cold from the rain and wind, had kept the knight from becoming anymore wet and miserable. The dragon's warm breath had soon heated the knight comfortably and Bowen quickly had drifted to sleep standing up.

The knight smiled as the waves crashed on the rocky shore glistened in the new day's sunlight. A soft relieved sigh slipped past his lips, the heavy weight that had lain on his heart and mind had been cleansed free last night in the storm and his own revelations. Even Draco seemed more at ease.

The dragon slept deeply, his faint snores only portrayed by a barely heard rumble in his throat and slight exhales of smoke. Bowen knew for a fact that besides the night Draco's shoulder had become wounded from Einon being stabbed and the pain traveling through the heart, Draco hadn't slept well any night Bowen had been with him, growling and muttering in his sleep nearly constantly; and Bowen was pretty sure by how the dragon acted it had been a very common thing. Only that deeply wounding pain had exhausted the dragon enough to get some decent sleep that night.

A slight tone change in the dragon's breathing made Bowen turn from watching the sunrise. Draco shifted in his sleep, the warm sun slowly heating his scales covering his coiled form in the center of the ring of columns. Bowen gazed at the dragon; the scales a range of colors that he normally wouldn't have thought would look so natural. The deep black and gleaming copper the best of them all; but at the moment, they weren't as bright as they usually were…

In fact, the scales were mostly a filthy mud brown; the dragon would blend in well in a mud hole. Bowen wondered for only a second how the dragon had gotten in this state, but only for a second as he turned his gaze back to the sun.

Bowen winced as the memory of Draco's dive into the muck replayed in his head. That had not been one of his finer moments. Just as he thought of the incident, Draco woke up and went to raise his head…

"_Ooooww…_"

The complaint was soft, as was the pain filled hiss Draco emitted a second later as he tried to bend his neck.

Bowen whipped around; the dragon's face was deeply carved into an aching grimace as he tried to lift his head more than two feet off the ground. A low moan vibrated Bowen's being at how much pain Draco was in as the dragon let his head drop to the ground with a tired sigh.

"You okay?" Bowen crouched at Draco's eye level, when the man first walked over even tipping his head to meet Bowen's gaze better made the dragon's eyes water and clench shut.

Draco opened his eyes, the pained glaze already turning the bright yellow-orange dull, "I…don't know…really."

The dragon tried again to lift his head, only succeeding in a profound throbbing through his neck. Another deep moan escaped Draco's throat.

Bowen sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Draco…geez, I'm sorry…"

The dragon opened his eyes, "What?"

"I-it…was…my fault…yesterday."

"Your fault for what?"

"Your neck."

Draco gave a faint sigh, and Bowen immediately recognized the frustration, "You might want to elaborate a bit more than a two word sentence Bowen."

The man chuckled a bit, and Draco grinned slightly when Bowen sat on the ground, "I'm the one who said you'd be fine diving into the lake, if that mud-hole can be called water, and…"

"No it wasn't, neither of us could see the depth."

"Yes, it's my fault, I got you into that mess and…"

"No, Bowen, it wasn't."

"Yes it was." Bowen groused as he stood and turned away.

"No it wasn't."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

"No it was not!"

Bowen spun back around hotly, "Yes it was!"

"Bowen!" Draco nearly roared as he jerked his head up.

"Ahh!" The muscles in Draco's neck throbbed horribly as he moved, and the dragon visibly cringed.

Bowen sighed then glanced over to rising sun. "Come on, there's a small cove a little down the shoreline that's pretty sheltered from the waves, you can try soaking in the water. It might help."

Draco sighed then winced as he slightly tipped his head down and felt the horrible pounding begin in his skull, "Better than nothing…"

Bowen slowly worked the leather soap into his saddle, and then sighed as he swiped the rag through the little jar, it had cost him quite a lot for just one jar, and he had barely used it, but dry skin under his stallion's deep bay coat couldn't be ignored. While he cleaned and worked the leather, Draco lay in the cool sea water, quite aways out to be nearly completely submerged and allow the water to hopefully ease his neck.

Bowen glanced up at the dragon when the water splashed as Draco's tail flicked under water, the dragon was either half-dozing or starting to dislike the sun reflecting off the sea, the dragon's eyes were closed.

A snort came from the dragon; yep, he'd been half-dozing. Draco's tail had flicked a little harder and bobbed the water into the dragon's nostrils, creating two steamy fireballs as Draco jerked to his feet and blew out through his nose quickly. Bowen laughed from the shore, earning a half-growl as Draco stretched his neck, several loud pops echoed around the rocky bowl shaped cove.

Draco sighed loudly in relief that had helped; a forepaw went to his neck to rub it gently, only earning a pained grimace, the dragon's strong claws were too big to make a difference.

"Come 'ere dragon!" Bowen called out and picked up the polished saddle and closed the little jar, now almost empty.

Draco slowly complied, completely drenched even under his scales; Bowen led him back up the side of the beach to the grassy hill where the two had slept. Draco laid down with a pained sigh, lightly fluffing out his scales to shake the water off.

A violent shudder ran down the dragon when the wind picked up, it was chilly in the evening, and damp skin wasn't going to help anything, two short blasts of fire ran down the dragon's sides, the water drying with clouds of steam.

Draco groaned, bending his neck to do that had hurt, badly.

"Will you hold still please?"

Bowen shook his head and placed a hand where Draco's neck joined his shoulders, a light push was enough for Draco the lower his head and let his neck uncurl, "What are you going to do?"

"See if a human trick'll help."

Draco didn't push any further, just turned his head a little to watch; Bowen's hands slowly pushed against Draco's neck, and worked their way down one side until Draco hissed loudly. Then, Bowen started rubbing. Draco sighed and let his eyes shutter close, it hurt a lot, but he could still feel the stiffness fading, if not painfully and slowly.

By the time Draco opened his eyes again, the sun was lower to late evening and Bowen had moved down (technically up, but it was a downwards slant 'cause of Draco with his head down) the dragon's neck to be nearly right behind Draco's head, "You mind turning your head?"

The dragon complied quickly, still wincing slightly, the noise making Bowen sigh a bit and Draco halfway recognized it as frustration.

A deep rumbling started softly and slowly grew louder as Bowen eased his hands back and forth at the base of Draco's jaw when the dragon tipped his head to let Bowen continue. Bowen chuckled when Draco let out a pleased hum to accompany the deeper purring noise, then yelped as a horn jabbed his elbow when he pulled away and Draco tilted his head to look at him with his eye-ridges lifted curiously.

Bowen only smiled and shook his head as he stood, Draco's eyes narrowed slightly. "What?"

"You sound like a cat." Bowen laughed and stepped over Draco's neck to sit on the slight incline on the dragon's other side. He grabbed at one of Draco's horns to steady himself, and the dragon twitched enough to make Bowen lose his balance.

"Hey!"

Draco chuckled and let his eyes fall close with a hum when Bowen sat level with his eye ridges and lightly scratched the one closest to him.

"M'not a cat…" Draco murmured drowsily as Bowen gently moved to the dragon's temple, the deep purring noise started again and Bowen snorted.

"If you're not a cat, then stop acting like one." Bowen smirked while Draco tipped his head to let Bowen reach the other eye ridge without getting up.

"What're you talking about?"

"You're purring."

"'m not." Draco yawned, letting his body relax and conform comfortably to the ground; Bowen rubbed harder, and the rumbling grew louder and deeper to the point where Bowen could feel the vibrating through Draco's (thick) skull.

"Really?"

"Mhm."

Draco yawned and twisted his head to look at Bowen, "Cats purr through their throat."

"And you are…?"

"Thrumming."

Bowen chuckled and shook his head, "What?"

"Cross between a hum and a growl, not quite from my throat or chest." The dragon explained and closed his eyes.

Bowen laughed outright at that and leaned back against the grass; glancing up at the black, star dotted sky, a faint sigh slid past his cracked lips, the night's chill already beginning to set in the all too familiar stiffness in his weary joints. He was really tired of this, the traveling, the cold nights with little sleep, and the never-ending quest that was more pointless than just worthless.

Draco looked up again, "Bowen?"

"Hmm?"

"You alright?"

A slight snort, "Yeah, just…tired…"

Draco tilted his head a little more; Bowen didn't trail off the end of his sentences unless something was bugging him.

The man rose to his feet with a wince and halfway limped to the pile of saddle, bags, weapons, and the blanket the man was looking for, his cloak still soaked from last night and nothing besides fire would get it dry quickly. (Draco didn't want to try to 'blow dry' it, Bowen still needed it) Bowen exhaled roughly as he sat down on the other side of the dragon and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and head in his hands and rubbed his temples.

The man shivered, and Draco did something he hadn't done for nearly four decades. The dragon shifted enough to let his foreleg half curl around Bowen, his claws gently gripping the man's arm and side. A soft tug was all Bowen needed for encouragement to lean back and lay against Draco's chest and 'forearm'.

Bowen sighed softly, the dragon was warm and surprisingly not that uncomfortable; Draco chuckled and yawned, already hearing Bowen drift into sleep quickly.

Draco smiled to himself, no longer in pain, and relaxed, the second night of sleep in Avalon was as good as or better than the first…

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I like this one...I felt really bad for Draco after he hit the muck so hard... ;)


	3. Chapter 3:  Cleaned Up & Cleaver Throw

Disclaimer: I want a knight and a dragon...don't have one

Oh, like my Dragonheart: A New Age, this is partly book-verse as well.

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This time when Bowen woke up, Draco was already up, had eaten, started a fire, left food for Bowen, and was now lazily flying on the sea breeze. The knight chuckled and did as the dragon implied and ate heartily, then cleaned up the campsite and saddled his horse with his bags and weapons.

Draco landed with a rough shake of his scales, the mud brown color gone and everything gleaming. "Ready?"

"Yep."

XXXXXX

Kara sighed and gently swatted at the white doe, the goat had found it amusing to chew her dress and it was irritating.

Hewe growled as he stood with the full milk bucket, "Now I know you're completely mad, you want us to follow you and a 'priest' against Einon." Annoyance heavily lacing his words.

"Yes."

"To Hell more likely." Hewe snarled testily.

"But this time we can win you don't understand."

"I don't want to understand, I understand this, I understand six years in the quarry…I don't need to understand."

Kara sighed again frustrated, "I know, believe me, I know what you've been through Hewe, but this time we've been joined…"

"Only a fool would be mad enough to join with you." The man snapped interrupting her and walked away to the fence line and set down his bucket.

"Oh Hewe, you're not listening to what I'm saying!"

"I don't want to listen!" Hewe growled and hefted a shovel to knock some sense into the babbling girl's head, "I've had enough of your mischief, now get…"

_Ssswwishsh…Thwump!_

An arrow embedded itself in the shovel as the shooter came charging over the far hill, black cloak and armor gleaming, deep bay horse shining, the knight radiated honor and courage as he thundered up to them.

Kara smiled the second she met the man's deep blue eye, earning a wink from Bowen, "Save your strength for the fight against Einon."

Hewe glared with his one eye, "There isn't any fight against Einon." Irritation coming back now that the initial shock was gone.

Bowen smirked, "I'm going to start one."

"Oh?" Hewe sneered, "You and what army knight?"

Bowen's smirk vanished and he gave Kara a knowing wink before nudging his horse into a canter, he reached the top of the hill and raised his bow to the setting sun.

Kara's heart soared as the familiar and distinct flapping came over the hill just a second before Draco's massive form rose from behind the hill, copper scales shining and black ones throwing deep shadows. The dragon was illuminated by the sun in a fiery blaze…

XXXXX

Later that night

Kara smiled as she walked closer to where Draco had retreated after nearly scaring her village, (again), out of their minds. The dragon lay curled in a sort of depression in the tree line near the pond in the center of the village. A soft snort was the only greeting she received, but Kara knew Draco was happy to see her, she could feel his faint humming through her hand as she petted his nose.

Kara laughed a little, "What took you so long?"

Draco gave a low chuckle, "Had to deal with a few other things first."

Kara frowned a little; Draco didn't usually keep his voice down even if others were sleeping unless they were right near him.

"You don't have to keep quiet, anyone nearby listening in, if they even dare, probably could care less."

Draco shook his head, but lazily stretched a huge wing out, the long length going right in between the two huts Draco was behind, (Hewe's and Kara's father's to be exact) and even reaching out into the village center slightly.

Kara raised her eyebrows, impressed; "What?" The dragon not only could feign innocence perfectly, he had yet to cease amazing Kara.

She shook her head, "Just…sometimes I forget how big you are compared to everything else, almost like you're my height or at least like Bowen's stallion, then you go and do something like lift a horse and a mule with riders and everything right into the air and fly for several dozen miles…or stretch a wing out that's nearly as long as my entire village."

Draco blushed as Bowen came around a corner and ducked under the unfolded wing, "It's not that long…"

Kara chuckled and blushed herself as Bowen's smile sent butterflies to her stomach, "I wondered where you two had disappeared."

The knight smiled, the expression reaching across his face and even in the dark, Kara could see his dark blue-gray eyes shine.

Kara's blush deepened as she looked down with a half giddy smile.

Neither of them noticed Draco fold his wing to his side as he stood casually; the dragon's tail gently nudged Kara forward slightly and then bumped Bowen a bit harder.

The pair stumbled into each other, completely ignorant of Draco's departure into the woods, both lost in each other's eyes.

XXXX

Plans for the fight began first thing the next morning, and two days later, training, supplies gathering, recruiting...etc. were in full swing.

Archery Practice & Training

Tents were going up all around them, old ladies and younger girls were fletching arrows behind them.

Many of the men stood in a line in front of straw and wooden target dummies.

Bowen stood with a half-disbelief frown on his face and a smirk on his face that only a teacher talking to a nervous student could have.

Brother Gilbert stood beside him with a bow and arrow, held with slightly shaking hands.

"You have never drawn a bow in you life? In anger or in practice." The knight said this with a tone of mild interest.

"No."

Bowen's hands rested on his hips casually, "Draw your bow. Sight along the arrow. Release."

The arrow thunked into to wooden head, right between the eyes.

Bowen's gaze was confident and reassuring as Brother Gilbert and Hewe looked at the arrow with a bit of confusion.

Hewe scowled, "Beginner's luck, try again."

The monk nodded submissively, and drew the bow back after knocking another arrow, his grip quivered with the strength needed to hold back the taut string, but he managed.

Bowen glanced once at the arrow in the dummy's head, then shifted his gaze back to the friar, "Steady."

_Ssswwisssh...thunk!_

Right in the crotch.

Bowen smiled, "Brother Gilbert," A brotherly hand clapped the monk's shoulder, "You're a natural."

Hewe stood confused for a second as Bowen handed the position of Archery teacher over to the bear, the knight walking away to supervise another training session elsewhere.

xx

Kara grunted with the exertion of swinging the battle axe to hit the log chained up, one swing sent her falling and she stumbled to stay up right.

Bowen had stopped behind her to watch, his voice piercing the noise of the camp, "Easy." The tone nearly a low growl, sending Kara's stomach into knots.

"Here," The knight gently, but firmly gripped her elbow and wrist, guiding the limb into the proper form as his torso conformed to her back. Bowen's knees adjusted her thighs, the knight seemingly becoming her.

"Widen your stance." The pair moved together into the correct stance, Kara immediately felt her weight shift and as Bowen raised the axe and her arm, it felt like an extension to her arm, not a heaving, cumbersome tool.

"Up." They moved the axe up.

"Down." The axe swung down, Bowen's arm guiding how she moved, his body rocking hers in time to the motion.

"Up." This time Bowen's arm slackened enough for Kara to do some of the work, but his steady grip remained as the movement made them rock back slightly.

"Down." Again they moved together, Kara's balance already greatly improved.

"One."

"Fluid"

"Stroke."

The passion and drive in Bowen's voice made Kara glance at him slightly, they both realized what they were doing, (mainly how they were standing) and stepped away.

Kara glanced at the axe in her hand, almost completely natural in her hand, "This could...cleave a man's skull."

It was a sort of questioning statement as Bowen took the axe from her, his knowing gaze filled with the familiar confidence and assurance Kara had come to enjoy seeing since he and Draco had arrived and started the preparations.

A small step back and mighty heave was Bowen's initial reply, the axe sailing cleanly through the air and missing other people by inches.

With a _whoosh_ it spun and sank up to its hilt in an orange squash with a satisfying _squelch_.

Bowen smiled, "Like a pudding."

Kara watched as the knight walked away to go onto his next task, she followed slightly, her gaze locked on the knight as he rendered her speechless, and nearly breathless.

Her gaze unconciously drifted down his retreating form, before she snapped out of her distraction and went to go find Draco, at least she knew he could calm her without making accusations like many of the women in the village would upon seeing her flushed face and half dreamy gaze.

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Mostly Bowen/Kara in this one, it'll be a combo one next time around, well...what do you think?


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